In a known manner, exhaust gas oxygen sensors are used in automotive exhaust management systems to monitor the performance of the engine and/or catalytic converter in controlling vehicle emissions. In some examples, the exhaust gas oxygen sensors are used as feedback for engine control.
In a typical system, the oxygen sensor is mounted in a catalytic converter or in an exhaust gas flow pipe such as a manifold pipe or post-converter flow pipe. The sensor body is mounted in the pipe or converter wall with the sensing area of the sensor extending into the exhaust gas flow stream within the pipe to sense the oxygen content thereof. In such systems, the body of the sensor projects out of the converter or pipe perpendicular to the flow axis of the converter or pipe. This configuration requires clearance, for example in the vehicle floor pan, for the sensor projecting out of the converter or pipe.